People before Politics

As a citizen legislator, my responsibility is to be your voice in the Roundhouse. That's a challenge in a district as diverse as ours, which is composed of everyone from passionate Progressives to conservative Democrats (and yes, even a few Republicans...). My priority is to do my best to make sure you all have a voice on the issues that matter most to you, and that people always come before politics.

Meet my family.

My wife, Ellen, and I live in Nambe with our 8 year old son Thomas, our three rescue dogs, Brownie, Max and Duke (only two of whom would pose for a photo...), and our rescue cats Boots and Jazzy (neither of whom would pose for a photo!). We live in a house I designed and built myself, and we've raised three sons here in our community. As a parent and community activist, I'm deeply committed to doing everything I can to improve our schools to create better futures for our families, whatever shape and size they take.

Standing With Our Kids

At the March for Our Lives, March 24, 2018. I'm so proud to stand with the leaders of this movement -- the TEENAGE leaders of this movement -- for safer schools, common sense gun control including a ban on sales of assault weapons, and like the sign says, books, not guns.

Championing clean energy

I'm a scientist, and a long-time supporter of clean and renewable energy, and I am and always will be a champion for our planet. New Mexico is uniquely suited to be a leader in clean energy, which helps all of us -- our planet, our families and our economy.

Protecting Animals

Our three dogs and two cats are a part of our family, and I know many of you feel the same way. I'm proud to be on the board of the Santa Fe Humane Society and to be a relentless champion for protecting animals. I am a continuous sponsor of legislation to spay & neutral and prevent the needless deaths of homeless animals in our state, as well a support of many other animal protection bills. I'm proud to have a 100% rating from New Mexico's Animal Protection Voters. (This photo is of our rescue dog, Duke, at the Santa Fe Humane Barkin’ Ball, and the reason Thomas’ eyes are red is that he wanted him so badly that he started to cry. Of course, guess who came home with us? :-))

No to Corporate Lobbyists

I've seen firsthand at the Roundhouse just how relentless the pressure is to cave in to the pressures of corporate lobbyists and big money donors. I've had others, including other legislators, express surprise when I tell them that a contribution doesn't buy my vote -- and it absolutely doesn't. I do my best to listen to everyone, because I believe democracy means everyone gets a voice whether we agree with them or not, but when all is said done, my vote comes down to one thing: what's best for the people of my district, period.

I’m a citizen legislator. I believe in the idea of a citizen legislature that answers to the people first. That’s the way our democracy was meant to work. Much to the dismay of lobbyists and the Party establishment, my priority is to put the will of the people before personal opinion or political agendas.

I’m a scientist. Truth and facts are important to me. I read legislation carefully before I vote on it, because bill titles are often misleading, or the details mean that the bill doesn’t do what people hope it will. Sometimes one word makes all the difference, and I work hard to find that word. I ask questions that lobbyists wish I wouldn’t ask, because I want to know the full consequences of something before I vote.

I’m a husband. My wife is a brilliant, accomplished, successful woman, and being married to her, I get a front row seat to the struggles that women have in our society — to be fully heard, to be taken seriously, to be paid equally, I can’t pretend to know what it’s like to be a woman in our culture, but I know what it’s like to love one, and to want to do everything I can to be an ally in the continuing struggle for full equality.

I’m a father. I have four sons. One of them is nine years old, and I want him to be able to grow up without being afraid of gun violence in his school, to be able to get adequate health care, to live in a world that has clean air and clean water and polar bears and rhinoceroses in it. Another of my sons is a recovering drug addict, and walking his journey with him has made the opiate addition problem in our community a personal priority for me. My other two sons are already into their careers — I want them to be able to make a life here in New Mexico (close to us, because you know how we parents are), and not to have to go far away to build a good life for themselves.

I’m a volunteer Little League Coach. As a coach, I work hard to make sure that every kid on the team feels like they have something to offer, that the game is fair, and that everyone gets to play. Our district is a diverse one — from Progressives to traditional Democrats, third parties, independents and yes, even a few Republicans. No one has the clear majority. That means when I vote, no one gets their way 100% of the time, but everyone’s voice gets heard sometimes. I think that’s the way it should be in a democracy.

I’m an animal lover. Our family includes three rescue dogs, two rescue cats, and a rescue rabbit. I serve on the Board of the Santa Fe Humane Society and I fight hard in the legislature to protect animals — the most vulnerable members of our community, incapable of speaking up for themselves. And I always will.